| I thought since I shot RMEX 4, and I would be taking State Road 1 all the way home, I might as well make a quick stop in Bluffton to grab a photo of its sister, RMEX 5. Both 4 and 5 served on the MAW for several years together before being shipped down to Connersville after Pioneer bought the MAW in 2013. The 4 was kept on the Connersville side of the line and was sandblasted while the 5 stayed on the New Castle side of the line and still had all its Santa Fe lettering in tact. In 2021, the 5 was sent to Bluffton to assist with CNUR 7 on the Craigville side to eliminate having to do a rolling switch when serving Lotter Farms there. After Midwest Rail acquired the Wabash Central earlier this year, this unit was included in the sale, and for now, will remain operating over the line. It will be interesting to see what happens to it in the future, however, as major maintenance projects are already beginning on the line, and I can only imagine if things begin to boom that they will be looking for more reliable motive power. The 4s future also is uncertain with rumors circulating that Midwest Rail may also be acquiring the Connersville Line after a new customer moves into the old Ford Plant in Connersville. With all that being said, however, I thought capping the day off seeing both ATSF GP7us was pretty cool! Definitely one of my best trips of the year! |